Time signal foe telephones



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet, 1.

J. M..0RAM.

TIME IGNAL FOR TBL'EPHONES. No. 278,367. Patented May 29,1883,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet2.

- J. M. ORAM.

TIME SIGNAL FOR TELEPHYONES. No. 278,357. Patented May 29,1883.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. M. DRAM. TIME SIGNAL FOR THLEPHONES. No. 278.357. Patented May29,1888.

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I 1! 7.5 1 1 ,4 fit TNESSBS INVENTOR /600 M, 4 BY ATTORNEYS.

Nv PETERS, PholWUlhognphur, Washington. In;

(No Model. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' J. ML ORAM.

TIME SIGNAL FOB. TELEPHONES. No. 278.357. Patented May 29,1883.

WITNESSES l INVENTOR: & Mfg

ATTORNEYS.

I PATENT OFFIC JOHN M. QBA M,;OFDALLAS,TEXAS;

' Tl ME-S-IGNAL FOR TELEPHONES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,357, dated May 29,1883,

Application filed. July 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHNM. ORAM, of Dallas, in the county of Dallas andState of Texas, haveinventedanew and ImprovedTime-Signal for Telephones;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being'had to accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to standard time-signaling instruments; and itconsists in an instrument for and a manner of signaling standard timethrough an entire system or systems of telephones.

In the accompanying plates of drawings, which illustrate my inventionand form a part of the specification thereof, Figure 1 is a front andFig. 2 a rear elevation of the instrument. Fig. 3 is an enlarged radialsection of the instrument with diagram of circuits, Fig. 4 is a frontview of a modification, and Fig. 5 a radial section of a modification.

The construction, operation, and relative arrangement of the componentparts of my invention are as follows:

In the said drawings, F R represent a supporting-frame, on which A A Adesignate bands which are movable conductors of electricity, highlyelastic near their points, at U, and automatically operated, ashereinafter'described. Said conductors are rigidly fixed to anactuating-arbor, D, Fig. 3. A and A are insulated from said arbor withhard rubber G. B B B are contact-springs, which are'insulated from butsecured near each other entirely around their respective circles, exceptthe small spaces occupied by each of the conductors A A A when at rest,as in Fig. 1. G G G are copper-circle lightning-arresters with theirterminals at- F F F Fig. 2. H is a clock-spring-actuating mechanism; J JJ electric generators; N, relay; 0, electro-magnet; P, local battery; Q,clock-line battery; R, standard-time clock; S S S lines to telephonesconnecting with contacts B B B E E E lines to switch-boards connectingwith contacts I 1 1 directly under contacts B B B K K K rotary contactsprings; L L, rotary contacts; M M, insulated connectingwires leadingfrom the connections to the hands A A Z, ground-connections; W,clock-circuit; X, electro-magnet armature.

The operation of the telephone time signal is as follows: At elevenoclock and fifty-nine minutes the standard-time clock B, Fig. 2, throughthe circuit W and relay N closes the circuit of the local battery P.Electro-magnet 0 thereby attracts the armature X, which, striking thestop a, releases the actuating mechanism H. This, in rotating arbor D,forces the non-conducting inclined edges of the conductors'A A A underthe points of the contactsprings B B B raisin gthem from their contactsI I 1 breaking connection between S and E, and completing circuitsthrough ground Z, generators J J J, rotary contact springs K K K rotarycontacts L L, arbor D, insulated wires M M, conductors A A Acontactsprings B B B lines S S S and subscribers telephones. Theoperation of the generators J J J in these circuits rings all thetelephonebells during their electric connection with the conductors A AA as said conductors make their excursion or movement. The standardtimeclock with battery is then cut'into a telephone-circuit, then once persecond during the fifty-ninth minute and twice during the sixtiethsecond of the same the clock breaks this circuit of electricity, causinga vibration of the annunciator-armature of said telephone circuit. Theaction of said armature each second opens a spring-connection in thenormal groundcircuit of the switch-boards, causing the current ofelectricity to complete circuit-s through all the telephones of thesystem. Each subscriber may hear through his telephone the double breakof the sixtieth second and record the number of seconds slow of noon.His signal will always be heard. By substituting powerful transmittersfor the generators J J J and receivers for the bells, audible sounds maylikewise be transmitted. The conductors A A A may be branched, as shownat U, Fig. 4, and pass over contact-springs B B B said springs havingbranches to line-wire, as shown in Fig. 5. v

" Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Adevice for signaling standard time simultaneously over a series oftelephone-circuits, consisting of the combination of a supporting-frame,one or more circular series of spring-contacts, B connected to lines S,a corresponding series of contacts, I, connected to switch-board linesE, one or more rotary conducting-hands, A, mounted on arbor D, anactmating mechanism for the hands, an electric generator connecting withsaid hands, and an electric circuit controlled by a standard-time clockand operating upon the actuating mechanism for the rotary hands orconductors, as described.

2. The combination, with several sets of contacts in a timesignalinginstrument, of two 10 or more conductors of electricity upon the sameactuating-arbor, each insulated from the other and connected with anindependent generator, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN MILTON ORAM.

Witnesses: A. K. HURST, CHAS. FRED. TUCKER.

